Write a story that includes the line “I should’ve known better.”

Posted in Dramatic on Jan 3, 2025

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✍️ 90 stories

“Horse Pucky” by Kirt Dankmyer

Submitted to Contest #284

I should’ve known better. I mean, my father had turned it into a proverb. “Don’t trust a horse breeder with a Western name.” Oh sure, Nathan Dixon looked and sounded like the real thing. The right number of arms. The right lingo. An accent that was Orbital, not Southern. One-hundred-ten percent authentic. By the time he started using words like “rodeo” and “ranch,” I was too far gone to pay attention. I was going to buy. So it was that I blew my whole savings on a horse that was so bad at being amphibious, I had to keep them in a bathtub all...

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“The Slope” by C L

Submitted to Contest #284

The dust particles flew as I brushed them off of the old, rusted heater. The dorm was stuffy and the paint was peeling off the communal bathroom walls. “This place sucks,” my random roommate commented, wrinkling her nose. “Yeah it does,” I laughed. “You know, someone’s trying to trade a Dickson double for a Hu Shih single. They’re offering 4k,” she laughed. I was in disbelief. The room wasn’t ideal, but was an “upgrade” really worth four thousand dollars? I shrugged that comment off; I didn’t mind. The building was old, but it felt ali...

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“Redefining Resolutions” by Olivia Anderson

Submitted to Contest #284

Riley stared at her reflection in the gym's mirrored wall, sweat dripping down her face at 5:30 AM on December 31st. The gym was nearly empty this early on New Year's Eve, with just a few other resolution chasers scattered around the equipment. Riley's resolution list, creased and worn from being folded and unfolded countless times throughout the year, lay open on her phone: 2024 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS1. Run a marathon ❌2. Learn French (conversational level) ❌3. Master basic piano ❌4. Read 24 books (18/24) ❌5. Learn to cook 50 new recipes (4...

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“The Good, Bad, And Ugly” by James Plante

Submitted to Contest #284

The Good, Bad, and Ugly I’ve been thinking a lot lately… about myself. Maybe it’s because I have too much time on my hands or because I’m getting old. But I’ve been giving my life a hard look at what the future might look like. I’m beginning to get a little nervous about my finances, health, and the state of affairs at home. Whatever it is, and I’m not sure, I feel I’ll be better able to understand it all if I see it on paper.So, what are my thoughts? What am I feeling right now? I’m thinking about everything that got me to w...

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“I am a monster” by Klara Steenberg

Submitted to Contest #284

I shouldn't be here. A human doesn't belong in a place like this. A place full of magic and power. And yet here I am. Hidden in a bush next to the palace of the Fae. I press myself to the ground as one of them passes. Her bright blond hair is pulled back making her pointed ears visible. Visible for all to see that she is powerful, she is Fae and we are nothing but human. Useless creatures only meant to serve. She turned and I was able to get a glimpse of her face. I put a hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp. She's the prettiest woman I've ev...

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“High Stakes” by M.C. Raven

Submitted to Contest #284

*Contains profanity*In a fine silk, black tailored suit Stephan Galen sashayed his way into the casino. Tonight was his lucky night, indicated by the itch he felt deep in his right palm.He flexed his fingers, refraining from scratching the itch he so very much wished to rid. The silly man believed in even the smallest superstitions when it came to his money.Flanked by his two body guards, Jericho and Kaden, he made his way through the front lobby, barely sparing a glance at the golden embellishments lining the wall, fine details etched into ...

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“Lost in another image” by Ruthie Collier

Submitted to Contest #284

I shouldn't have done that. That’s all I can think of in my dark cell. It was stupid, really, to think that I, of all people, could get away with something that huge. But the urge was so strong, I couldn't resist.I decided to kill the Prince.Me, his soon to be wife, decided to end his miserable life, and in plain sight.I still don't know what made me do it.Was it for power?No. That I am sure.Was it for revenge?No. Truthfully, there was nothing big enough I would be angry enough to resort to killing him.So why on earth would I do it?Mayb...

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“Christmas Present ” by Christine Cameron

Submitted to Contest #284

While friends and family were excitedly preparing for the upcoming holiday season, I was packing up the house that had held all my dreams and getting ready to move into a rental. Escrow was due to close around Christmas, which I would now have to navigate alone, drowning in sorrow. The recession had sucked up more equity than the home was worth, so I had assumed a huge financial debt that felt crushing. It was one more devastating jolt to my fragile ego after a debilitating breakup that knocked the wind out of me and shook me to my very fou...

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“Reading Tea Leaves” by MARK TRIMBOLI

Submitted to Contest #284

Reading Tea LeavesIn the hazy air of the patchwork tent Cerce sits – an occult spider, perched in the shadows, seeking. The lamplit glow gently illuminates her thick arched brows. Her furrowed forehead layered with the weight of years and all the promised pasts, her ancient lips pursed in a Cleopatrian half-grimace... The teacup sits, too, the special tea all drunk, damp dank leaves ignored, lying in a tiny tangled map at the bottom of the cup. ‘And now, we begin...’ Cerce an...

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“The Horrors Persist, But So Do I” by Evie Scribes

Submitted to Contest #284

Trigger Warning: Please note, that while this is ultimately an inspirational story, I do discuss a traumatizing relationship in my life that includes unwanted sexual advances, r*pe, and domestic violence (not in graphic detail). Please take care of your own mental health and well-being if these are sensitive topics for you as well; I would rather you be safe than re-traumatize yourself just to read my story. Thank you ❤It Began Like A Fairytale…And I mean that in the most literal sense.“Duckie” and I met at a LARP event – Live-Action Role-Pl...

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“Waltrud's Letter” by Joshua Randall

Submitted to Contest #284

"Dear Waltrud, Dear Waltrud, ugh, how cliche. But how else does one start a letter? I am writing this letter to address that metaphorical elephant in the room between us. I know we have not always seen eye to eye. But we usually are in the same universe. Lately, it seems we have drifted far apart. I should’ve known better. But I long for the days when we were gleefully sharing stories from our younger days as we held hands at Victoria Park. Now, it seems we are drifting apart, and I can’t help but feel that I am, if not wholly, mostly to bl...

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“What Could Have Been ” by Hope Lovette

Submitted to Contest #284

All my life I longed for you, I waited patiently to be noticed and to be seen. I craved your attention and your love like nothing else, but sadly it never came. Instead of love you wrote my checks and handed me money thinking it would make up for your absence. Little did I know my worth was being lost more everytime you handed me that money. Little did I know that I would think that was your idea of love, handing me money and leaving me with someone else. I never understood leaving. I never understood when you would stay either because I wou...

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“No such thing as should've, would've, could've ” by Nour Abdul-hadi

Submitted to Contest #284

The whole goal was flawed from the core. She wanted to work in an advertising agency but refused to see that she was wrong about the whole thing. The worst part was that she wouldn't let go of her failing degree because it kept her goals paralyzed in a stagnant state. Her friends lost their respect of her as she dwindled in wastedness. And things got increasingly worse. Her former friends passed by her refusing to reach out because she was in such a pathetic, self-inflicted situation. The fact that she couldn't see the weight of her stubborn...

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“The First Love Story ” by Kwasi Sike

Submitted to Contest #284

Before time…God lived with all His angels in heaven. It was lovely; there was only peace and harmony. For they all lived with their Creator, in His eternal form, and the angels always celebrated and rejoiced in their luckiness and their blessings. God loves all His creations, and all that existed was good. Love is permanent. And God is love. All love, all goodness and all peace. But God, all-knowing, knew that something was missing. All-mighty and all-powerful, He is complete, and showed His creations that wholeness every mome...

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“Middle Seat” by Ann Imma

Submitted to Contest #284

“Sorry, can I just…?”“Sorry, sorry…”I unbuckled and slid from my seat into the aisle, smiling deferentially and wincing inwardly as the metal armrest jammed into my buttock. A sweatsuit-clad beast slouched into the row and grunted into 11A, immediately snapping the window blind shut. He fumbled for the seat belt, made a futile attempt to buckle it, then extended it by eight inches before trying again. I slipped back in to my seat next to him.It wasn’t even my seat. I had paid extra to book seat 7A online, which had a...

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Write a story that includes the line “I should’ve known better.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 90 stories

“Horse Pucky” by Kirt Dankmyer

“The Slope” by C L

“Redefining Resolutions” by Olivia Anderson

“The Good, Bad, And Ugly” by James Plante

“I am a monster” by Klara Steenberg

“High Stakes” by M.C. Raven

“Lost in another image” by Ruthie Collier

“Christmas Present ” by Christine Cameron

“Reading Tea Leaves” by MARK TRIMBOLI

“The Horrors Persist, But So Do I” by Evie Scribes

“Waltrud's Letter” by Joshua Randall

“What Could Have Been ” by Hope Lovette

“No such thing as should've, would've, could've ” by Nour Abdul-hadi

“The First Love Story ” by Kwasi Sike

“Middle Seat” by Ann Imma

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who receives a gift or message that changes their life forever.

Center your story around a character spending their first holiday alone.

Center your story around an unexpected guest who changes a traditional get-together.

Set your story in a place where everything should be familiar to your character(s), but isn’t.

Contest #284

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

347

Contest entries

145

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: